A New Day
by StellaHunterOfArtemis
Summary: Written for a Challenge (details inside). Percy and Audrey's way of coping - and making up. T for mild coarse language.


**Written for xPerfectlyImperfect's Perfectly Challenging Competition (Can be a Challenge) on the Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges Forum.**

* * *

_So maybe tonight we'll start all over._

_Like it's the first day of our lives._

_Right here and now, no second chances._

_Maybe we'll finally get it right._

_~Maybe Tonight by The Summer Set_

* * *

Audrey Meadows walked around the Hogwarts castle at twilight, tears continuing to stream from her eyes. How could they not? Her younger sister had died.

Another sob escaped her lips at the thought.

Ava Meadows had been two years younger than Audrey, but with her flaxen gold curls and big brown eyes, she looked much like Audrey herself. The two were extremely close, and had often been confused as twins. They had enjoyed the novelty by going to each other's classes once in a while, in which the teachers would wonder why Ava suddenly became so knowledgeable, and why Audrey so stupid. They soon figured out what was going on, and then banned the two from meeting each other until after lessons unless it was in the Great Hall. As Ava was a Gryffindor, and Audrey a Ravenclaw, it wasn't much of a problem.

Thinking of old memories of her tricks with Ava, Audrey dissolved into full-blown tears, and she ran to a big beech tree on the banks of the Great Lake, and collapsed against the bark, her hands muffling her tears.

The war may have ended, it may have been over, but everything which Audrey had loved was gone.

'Audrey?' whispered a familiar voice, and Audrey stiffened at hearing it. Oh no, not _him_.

* * *

Percy Weasley was standing morosely near the Great Lake, mourning his brother. Just as he'd got him, he'd lost him too. Fred had been the one to forgive him first, as his mum, after all, had been numb. Had he survived, Percy's bond with him would have been strongest.

He felt someone pass him with a great speed, and he almost overbalanced into the lake. He turned to see gold curls which he recognized on his ex-girlfriend covering the girl's face.

'Audrey?' he whispered uncertainly. He saw her shoulders stiffen, and he knew he'd hit the nail straight on the head.

* * *

_Why him? Why him, of all people?_

'Audrey, are you okay?' Percy asked, concern colouring his voice.

'No I'm not!' Audrey exploded, tears still pouring down her face. 'My sister's dead!'

'I'm sorry to hear that, Audrey. I know how you feel,' Percy said, his own eyes filling with tears as he thought about Fred.

'No, you _don't_, you _arsehole_! You have _never_ lost a sibling, how could _bloody Percy Weasley_ know what it means to hurt about a loved one being _dead_!'

Percy felt every word exiting her lips, which were so soft and pink and _beautiful_, give him a blow on the heart. Not that he didn't deserve it, oh no. He had been a world-class _jerk_, when he had dumped her for _Penelope Clearwater_, who had dumped him not very long ago. He got exactly what he deserved.

'Audrey,' Percy said, grabbing the girl in front of him by the shoulders. Seeing the grieving look in his eyes, Audrey stopped her torrent for a moment (along with trying to get her tears under control).

'Audrey, Fred's dead.'

'_So_? You still have five other siblings in your life! Ava was the only person until you came along whom I loved _unconditionally_!'

'You still love me?' Percy asked not daring to let hope blossom into his chest yet. Audrey stopped short when she realized what she had let out of her mouth. Her eyes widened, filling with tears yet again, and she threw herself onto Percy. Percy almost lost his balance for the second time in five minutes, but managed to regain his footing before both he and Audrey toppled into the Great Lake. He continued holding her as she sobbed his heart out onto his chest.

'I do, Percy,' she said, wiping her eyes.

'But how can you?' Percy asked pulling away and looking at Audrey with confusion. She took it in the wrong manner, by thinking that he meant it like how dare she to love him even after he broke up with her. After all, he _had_ dumped her, but she could never get over the fact that he had done it for her _ex_-best friend.

'I meant, how can you love me even after I dumped you? After Penny?' he clarified, seeing the despair on her face.

But that statement only caused Audrey's eyes to fill with another round of tears.

'Oh, so you still call her by that name?' she asked. 'What are you going to do next, ask her to marry you?'

Percy's eyes filled with despair. 'She dumped me soon after V-Voldemort took over the Ministry.'

All malice sank from Audrey's face. 'I'm sorry for that,' she said, trying to be as sincere as possible. But her mind kept replaying the moment when Percy dumped her in favour of her best friend, who stood there smugly. They both had fought about Percy when they both fell in love for him. But it was obvious that her (Penelope's) love was shallow (Percy had been appointed Prefect, and Penelope had been sure that he would get appointed Head Boy, not to mention his brothers).

Audrey could say with conviction, however, that she had never loved someone as much as Percy in her life.

Penelope was a lot like her cousin Cho in that behaviour, but she knew Cho _had_ actually loved both Cedric and Harry, and now Michael.

'Look, Audrey, it was a mistake dumping you,' Percy said, hanging his head and bringing his hands down next to him. It was time he told his first and only love the truth.

'I had actually fallen for Penny too, sometime after starting to date you,' he began, and Audrey became dejected already, her shoulders slumping down. Percy grabbed them and said, 'It wasn't that I didn't love you anymore; I just fell for her too. When she came to know (which happened two months later), she said that if I didn't dump you and start dating her, she would tell you that I loved her more than you, and then she'd see me being dumped by you. I had no choice but to do it. And even though I loved her, it lacked much of the magic it had when you were in her place. And once she dumped me, I felt extremely sorry for whatever I had ever done.'

'When did she do that?' Audrey asked, her blood boiling at the injustice inflicted to the love of her life, while trying to talk in a nice way.

'She did it at the start of this school year. She called me to go to _Madam Puddifoot's_ (where I didn't want to go to), and she flat out told me she was dating someone else, and that we should end it. I put on a face of despair, but I was quite happy she dumped me. But I did feel a bit sad.'

'Okay,' Audrey said, and the next five minutes were spent in silence, until both seemed to realize at the same time that Audrey's hand was in Percy's. They let go with flaming cheeks.

'It seems so weird, doesn't it?' Audrey asked softly after some time. Her eyes had been automatically drawn to the sun and sky which had been breaking into multiple shades of pink, orange, red and deep blue. The sun was sinking behind the mountains surrounding her former school.

'What does?' Percy asked, not being able to tear his eyes away from her. She just looked so _beautiful_ in the light of the setting sun.

'The peace,' Audrey replied, loving the shades that were colouring the sky. 'The war being over. No Voldemort to worry about.'

'I know,' Percy said. Both their eyes seemed to fill, their hearts heavy with longing, at the thought of the siblings who could not enjoy the peace they were currently living through.

'Are you seeing anyone?' Percy blurted before stopping himself. His cheeks caught fire again, which were further enhanced in the sunset.

'No, Percy,' Audrey smiled. Silence again befell the couple, who were slowly sinking to the ground.

'What now? Life is going to be boring!' said a voice from behind the two, and Percy and Audrey turned to see Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny walking toward the lake. Ron was holding Hermione's hand, and Harry's rested on Ginny's waist. Looking at that, Percy felt his jaw drop open, and Audrey had to stifle a laugh at the look on his face.

'What – _exactly_ – is _his_ hand doing on _my sister's_ waist?'

'Percy,' Audrey said, resting her hand on Percy's shoulder. 'She's old enough to be having a boyfriend, and you should know that most people would _kill_ to have the Boy Who Lived dating their daughter/ sister.'

'Okay,' Percy said, the anger dissipating almost instantly.

'Oh, Ronald,' Hermione shook her head at her apparent-boyfriend. 'Life can't be boring: first is the rebuilding of the Wizarding World, and second comes the fame.'

'We're famous?' Ron asked, confused. Harry and Ginny were shaking with suppressed laughter.

'Of course you are, you git,'

Once the four people had gone, Percy turned to Audrey.

'Listen, Audrey,' Percy said. 'I know I messed up big time, but will you _please_ do me the honour of being my girlfriend?'

Audrey's face broke into a large grin

'Yes!'

And she threw herself into his arms, kissing him passionately. This time, they really did fall into the Great Lake, and the resulting _SPLASH!_ made the quartet turn around. They were extremely surprised to see Percy, of all people walk out of the lake, and he holding out his hand and pulling out a beautiful girl surprised them no end.

What really took the cake, though, was when Percy and the unknown girl kissed once more.

* * *

'Mum, Dad! I'm going!' Audrey shouted behind her shoulder while putting on her thin pale blue jacket and stepping into the wind.

'Okay, darling!' two voices sounded behind her, and the male one continued to say while coming closer, 'Love, don't you think you're a bit too young to be dating – ?'

'Oh, Daniel, Audrey's twenty-two, for Merlin's sake, please cut her some slack. Now if Ava –'

Annabelle broke off, her eyes filling with tears. Daniel went white, and went coughing into the large manor their family lived in. Audrey felt tears springing in her eyes, but she willed them back down. _I am not going to cry. I am _not_ crying and ruining my makeup and date._

'I should go, Mum,' Audrey choked out after a few moments and, saying so, she Apparated away.

_Being a pureblood sure has it's advantages and disadvantages_, Audrey thought as she walking down Diagon Alley. _I was safe from Voldemort's regime, but now everyone has me pegged as one of _his_ side. Don't they know what _neutral_ means?_

'Love!' Audrey heard behind her, and she whipped around, causing a few hairs escaping from her messy bun. She saw Percy jogging toward her, waving his hand. She gave him a wide smile and waited for him to catch up.

She smoothed down her white flowery sundress, and started clicking her two-inch heels, seeing as Percy was halfway down the street. Her pale pink lipstick shone, and her flushed pink cheeks made sure that she did not need any blush. Mascara lined her eyes, and her favourite white watch which was often raised toward Percy's face to tell the time, was sitting on her wrist, as was a small white charm bracelet which was designed to cover encircle the watch.

Audrey let out a loud laugh when she saw Percy trip over his own two feet and almost ripping his blue jeans and his white T-shirt. His sneakers, which were previously white, had now turned brown, owing to the fact that he stepped into mud while steadying himself.

'_Aguamenti_,' he said, pointing to his shoes, and when ridden of the mud, he used a drying charm.

'Shall we?' he asked, offering her his arm. Audrey took it with a large smile.

'We shall!'

The duo walked down to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, where they wanted to cheer George up, who was still (and probably would be for a very long time) very torn up over his twin's death.

'Anyone home?' Percy called out, stepping into the shop.

'Yep, come on up!'

George skipped out of his room with an overly-cheerful attitude, though his red-rimmed eyes gave his feelings away. 'Perce! Never thought I would see you in a joke shop, much less mine!'

'I wouldn't usually, but I want to introduce you to someone,' Percy replied, and stepped away to reveal Audrey, who gave the dumb-struck Weasley a big smile.

'Audrey Meadows,' she said, extending a hand. 'You may have known my sister A – Ava, she was a Gryffindor your year.'

'Yes, I do remember her,' George said faintly, and looked at Percy for an explanation. Percy smiled and said, 'Audrey's my girlfriend.'

'You have a girlfriend?' George said mockingly, recovering quickly. Percy shot him an indignant and wounded look, and both Audrey and George burst into laughter.

After spending an hour at George's, laughing and talking and generally catching up, Percy and Audrey headed out to go to Florean Fortescue's (whose owner had been found and the shop restored). There, Percy got his favourite peanut butter with chocolate chips and chopped nuts, and Audrey got a large chocolate-vanilla twist.

Percy leaned and grabbed Audrey's hand while they were walking down the street. Audrey was gazing at the different stores, while Percy was gazing Audrey. The Diagon Alley had really changed a lot, both from what it was before and during the war. Now, it was as much of a cheery place than it was a war, but it had the security enchantments it needed.

'Percy! How... odd... but nice, to see you here!'

Percy and Audrey both stiffened at the voice. Who else would have that high, flirtatious, haughty voice, but –

'Penelope,' Percy said in a careful voice. He did not need another crying session from his girlfriend right now. But Audrey was far from crying. Her feelings were more tilted to anger and hatred.

'Clearwater,' she snapped out. Boiling hate and rage were erupting to the surface whenever she thought about Penelope Clearwater.

'Meadows,' Penelope said icily. Her flirtatious smile came back on. 'What are you doing here, Percy?'

Percy gave a small tight smile. 'Here with my girlfriend.' He raised his and Audrey's intertwined fingers. Penelope's suggestive smirk turned into a malicious snarl.

'Her?' she spat. '_Her_? You can do _so_ much better than her. Like _me_, for – '

'Sorry, but I love her more than I can ever love you,' Percy replied coolly, and started walking down the street, pulling Audrey behind him. Audrey had one look at Penelope's face before she had to turn away to suppress her un-ladylike snort.

'And that's why I love you, Perce,' she said, leaning her head on his shoulder.


End file.
